Background

I received my doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington, and completed my pre-doctoral internship at the Yale University School of Medicine. I began my private practice while completing postdoctoral training at the University of Washington. In addition to private practice, I am a Clinical Instructor at the University of Washington, providing supervision to psychology graduate students.

I have had a long-standing interest in mindfulness meditation and have been practicing in the Insight Meditation tradition since 2003. Along with my colleagues Dr. Sarah Bowen and Dr. Alan Marlatt, I developed Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP), a novel program integrating mindfulness practices with cognitive-behavioral skills in the treatment of problems related to substance use and other addictive behaviors. I have facilitated numerous groups in private and community-based treatment settings and offered training for both clinicians and researchers, in the US and internationally.

I have specialized training in a number of cognitive-behavioral and acceptance-based treatments including Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.

In the last several years, I have become increasingly interested in exploring the relationship between mindfulness meditation, and social justice, cultural change, and collective liberation. This is an area of continued exploration, learning and growth for me. I am committed to using the tools offered by mindfulness practice to unpack my own cultural and racial conditioning, as they relate to experiences of privilege and oppression. This exploration continues to enrich my work and my ability to bring increased awareness to the varied experiences of my clients and how they are impacted by their multiple identities and by systems of oppression.